As part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s March Click It or Ticket enforcement blitz, the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department issued 44 citations for failing to wear a seat belt.
The citations were issued over a 10-day period March 6-16, according to Sheriff Perry Palmer.
A seat belt violation carries a $25 fine.
The blitz is a statewide effort that aims to lower the injury and fatality rate of people involved in motor vehicle crashes by making a concentrated effort to get drivers to wear their seat belts, Palmer said.
According to Click it or Ticket, 49% of people ages 18-34 killed in vehicle crashes in 2017 were not wearing a seat belt.
An additional 62 violations unrelated to seat belts were issued while deputies were on the blitz. Half were issued for other moving violations, such as speeding, cell phone usage while driving or improper passing, Palmer said. The other half were for non-moving violations such as having an expired vehicle inspection or driving with a suspended license.
Two arrests were made as a result of the enforcement — a fugitive and a drug-related arrest.
The extra enforcement was possible because of a Governor’s Highway Safety Program grant for about $2,700, which paid for 76 hours of overtime.
Overtime enforcement has been paused in an attempt to limit person-to-person contact because of COVID-19, according to Palmer. However, deputies on the road who see a moving violation will still issue appropriate citations.
In West Virginia, not wearing a seat belt is considered a primary offense and is reason enough to be pulled over by law enforcement and cited even if no other laws are being broken.
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Morgantown Area News
'Tuesday, November 5, 2024'
